The French can sometimes be strangely quirky about certain foods and some of the more snobbish regions in France parsnips are rejected as "something we feed to the animals". Yet it is a hugely popular dish in other regions and we love it for its peasant-style simplicity.

Parsnips have always been a much-loved vegetable in our household where it is almost revered for its unusual savoury-sweet flavours.

I love them simply oven-roasted whole with a light brushing of olive oil and a little sprinkling of coarse salt but it's even tastier in this dish.

It's a sort of dish that you can serve any time of the day. I even knew a French lady who occasionally enjoyed it for breakfast, would you believe! I serve it as a starter and it is always popular.

To serve 4-6 you need:

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon butter

  • 180ml double cream

  • 2 cloves of garlic, peeled, crushed, chopped

  • 500g parsnips, peeled, finely sliced into rounds

  • 1 heaped teaspoon Dijon mustard

  • A fine grating of nutmeg

  • 1 teaspoon of dried thyme

  • Coarse sea salt and black pepper

    • Method:

    Boil the parsnips for four minutes, drain well and set aside to dry. Layer the parsnips roughly in a gratin dish.

    In a separate dish mix the thyme, garlic, cream and mustard well.

    Add the nutmeg and black pepper and a generous twirl of salt.

    Pour the mixture over the parsnips and press down so that the liquid oozes through the vegetables.

    Dot with butter.

    Cook in an oven pre-heated to 200?C for about 40 minutes or until nicely golden. Serve piping hot with crusty French bread.